Chapter 25
Episode 2: Exodus / Chapter 25: Wyvern of Destruction (1)
TL: Myoni
Edited: Obelisk
The number of monsters Choi Hyuk killed in a day was absurd but it still wasn’t enough to reverse the flow.
If Choi Hyuk tried his best, he would barely be able to hunt 400 monsters a day.
At first, he would be able to kill one every second but as his stamina decreased, the speed slowed down as well. When he started to get out of breath, his performance would drop rapidly and if he was surrounded by monsters in that state, he would die. He always had to check his condition and retreat when it was appropriate.
On the other hand, the number of monsters was piling up.
After 10 days had passed, situations started to arise where Choi Hyuk was unable to destroy a portal every day.
The number of monsters that crossed through the portal would increase by 20% every day. This was an exponential growth. Even if he killed continuously, it was becoming harder and harder to catch up that increase.
On the 10th day, 20,000 monsters poured in from the 33 portals. With the help of his allies, they were able to reduce that number to 20 on the 15th day, but even then, approximately 30,000 monsters poured in every day.
On the 15th day, the streets were filled with over 130,000 monsters. It was the main reason why it was becoming more difficult to fight them.
However, that wasn’t all. The amount of supplies would reduce by a third every 10 days.
Instantly, supplies that were originally able to feed 500,000 people could only sustain 170,000. But, there were 300,000 people still alive on the 10th day. During this time, due to the amount of supplies, they didn’t starve to death but faced with survival, intensified the temptation of the groups.
The key reason for their temptation was the portals.
And this temptation became a framework for Jung Minji.
‘While we go out and destroy portals, those who just sit there, only caring about their safety have no right to supplies!’
It was a strategy that was necessary for destroying portals but, at the same time, it was risky. It was because normally, assembly areas set up Weakening Barriers, which makes the monsters two times weaker, but to destroy a portal, they had to step out and fight against the full strength of the monsters.
Because of this, the number of deaths and victims continued to increase in groups allied with Choi Hyuk. And those assembly areas who only sought after supplies were becoming more secure. While there were people who fought for the safety of everyone, there were others who just wanted a free pass.
Eventually, faced with this crisis, Jung Minji raised her sword. It was a clever move that would relieve the dissatisfaction of the groups who destroyed portals onto others.
She dispatched an envoy to a neighbouring assembly area. The rule she imposed was simple.
‘Tomorrow. You are to spearhead the fight to destroy a portal. Or you give up your right to supplies.’
Her proposal was ignored. And the next day, that assembly area turned to ash. They weren’t able to endure the attack of her troops who were tempered through fights against monsters. And Jung Minji didn’t accept surrenders.
“Do we kill them all?”
“Kill them all. Except for those who are less than 14 years old.”
“How do we determine their age?”
“Just… If they look young, let them live…”
“Let the children live… then what about their parents?”
“… Kill their parents.”
Jung Minji easily empathized with the weak. She wasn’t confident in being able to kill those who surrendered so she left Chu Youngjin in command.
Even when she hardened her heart, she was still unable to order the death of the children. Of course, instead of being respected, her ambiguous attitude brought sarcasm. To some, she was extremely merciless and to others, she was half-baked.
Still, her decisive actions displayed a surprising amount of power. The neighbouring assembly areas who were shocked at her merciless slaughter decided to take part in fighting the monsters.
The other 6 powers who were allied with Jung Minji also took similar actions.
At that time, two rumors about slaughter were spreading like wildfire.
Choi Hyuk and Jung Minji’s slaughter.
Because of this, the allied forces were able to take advantage of this fear to win over other forces more easily.
Not long after, everyone had started to destroy the portals in unison. Due to this, they were able to reduce the number of portals to 20… but the number of casualties were significant as well.
And the number of monsters were still growing.
250,000 survivors. 130,000 monsters.
It was already an established fact that at some point, the number of monsters would exceed the number of people.
**
After fighting monsters, Choi Hyuk would always train.
“Soaring Slash!”
When he shouted the skill, the karma in his body would automatically move. The karma that enhanced his bones, joints and muscles gathered at his hand. By using the pressure of the gathered karma, he was able to transform it into a sword… but eventually, it wasn’t able to even reach half the blade before returning to its previous state.
{Failed. To use a C rank skill, you need at least one stat and Retribution to reach C rank (3-star).}
And a message would pop up.
Choi Hyuk sighed as he examined his status.
——————–
{Choi Hyuk}
Power: 0 (★★) Speed: 0 (★★) Control: 114 (+114) (★★)
Endurance: 18 (+18) (★★) Stamina: 18 (+18) (★★) Recovery: 0 (★★)
*Retribution: 0 (★★)
*Free karma points: 68
——————–
As there weren’t many worthy opponents, even though he killed all those monsters and people, he wasn’t able to grow that much. All he earned were 18 free karma points from killing 6 2-star monsters.
That was only because he received an additional 2 free karma points for killing ‘mid-bosses’ or else he would have only earned 6 points.
And Choi Hyuk changed his items… He got rid of the items that increased his Power and Speed and pushed Control.
Because of this, his Power and Speed became 0.
Of his newly equipped D rank items, 3 were new and he traded for the remaining 2. Control was a relatively unwanted stat so it wasn’t hard finding someone to trade.
As they were all normal D rank items, the items Choi Hyuk earned weren’t unique. He even had two ‘Rings of Concentration’.
——————–
{Ring of Concentration} x2
Rank: D
Control: +10
You are able to use the skill {Concentrate} once a day. For 1 minute, Control increases by 10%.
There is no additional consumption of Stamina.
——————–
——————–
{Necklace of Concentration}
Rank: D
Control: +10
You are able to use the skill {Concentrate} once a day. For 1 minute, Control increases by 10%.
There is no additional consumption of Stamina.
——————–
——————–
{Longsword of Desperation}
Rank: D
Control: +20
Durability: 271 / 300
——————–
——————–
{Shoes of a Dancer}
Rank: D
Control: +10
Your reflexes are slightly faster.
Durability: 48 / 50
——————–
A set of items with only Control.
Choi Hyuk had decided on Control after racking his brains over it.
‘It is impossible to get a stat and my Retribution to 300 by the 30th day.’
The number of monsters was continuously increasing. And the number of mid-bosses increased accordingly. However, as there were too many underlings, it was becoming more difficult to hunt down the mid-bosses.
He needed 418 more points but at his current rate of 18 points every 5 days, he would only earn 54 points.
‘Killing those who aren’t a match won’t even give me the slightest benefit…’
At this rate, it would be impossible to use Soaring Slash. But, if he didn’t have Soaring Slash, he didn’t have a blade made of karma and if he didn’t have that, he didn’t have an area attack… which meant that he wasn’t able to make a breakthrough and decrease the number of monsters and that meant it would be impossible to kill the Wyvern of Destruction.
As a result, his last resort was enhancing his Control. He had pretty much staked everything.
‘Will it work? No, it has to.’
Up until now, it was best to increase his stats harmoniously. Control or Endurance, as long as they were able to handle his Power and Speed, it was enough. What would he do with Control that well surpassed his Power and Speed?
But, Choi Hyuk’s thoughts were completely different. The clue was provided by Baek Seoin.
He said.
‘I know right? It’s like the tutorial has finished… If you looked at it like a game, we should now be choosing our classes. Which means that we can’t increase all our stats like before.’
After reaching 2-stars, the increase in points rapidly decreased. Only 1 free karma point. His suggestion could be correct. That you shouldn’t focus on every stat but choose to focus on certain ones.
That meant that a Control stat that exceeded Power and Speed was definitely useful.
There was also another evidence. That was Choi Hyuk’s senses.
The more he increased his Control stat, the more easily Choi Hyuk could manipulate karma. It was especially different when he exceeded 100 points of the 2-star stat.
Now, he wasn’t only able to control his Power and Speed. He was able to control his karma.
‘Like this.’
Choi Hyuk focused on the karma in his arm. His arm inflated to twice its size. In that state, he punched a car.
Baaang!
It wasn’t pushed back but exploded as if it was hit by a bomb. As it wasn’t satisfying enough, this time, he slammed a wall of a building with his palm.
Thud!
An entire side of a wall exploded. The impact from his palm was enough to visibly shake the 4-story building.
“Ahh…”
However, Choi Hyuk’s arm wasn’t unscathed. An obvious result as the explosive force exceeded his Endurance.
Choi Hyuk’s face distorted and retracted the karma concentrated in his arm. It felt like his arm had fractured but with his current Recovery stat, he would naturally recover in 5 minutes.
But, Choi Hyuk didn’t rest. This time, he held a sword with his left hand.
“Concentrate!”
The skill embedded in the Necklace of Concentration and the Rings of Concentration, {Concentrate}.
Each one would increase his Control stat by 10% for a total of 30%. 148 Control!
In this state, Choi Hyuk once again attempted the skill.
“Soaring Slash!”
Instantly, the karma in his body automatically moved. It moved beyond his hand and towards the sword. However, the result was the same. Once again, it wasn’t able to reach half the blade before returning to its previous state.
However, Choi Hyuk’s original motive wasn’t to succeed. He remembered the pathways and direction the karma moved in.
“Huuuu…”
He calmed his breath.
‘I need to see results this time.’
Choi Hyuk personally moved the karma with his 148 Control stat. Choi Hyuk, who remembered how the karma was pushed back when it reached half the blade when he activated the skill, squeezed out all the karma in his body and compressed it. He then sent it to his hand. The karma that was compressed to the point it was hard, tangled up as it made its way to his hand.
“Grkkk….”
It felt like his arm would explode. However, Choi Hyuk continued to push the karma. The karma passed through the handle of the sword and filled up the blade. And just when it reached the point the skill couldn’t pass,
“Gah!”
Choi Hyuk used all his strength to push the compressed karma up. Karma shot up like a geyser. Bang, bang! It felt like fireworks were shooting out of his hand. And then,
Swish…
“Ah…”
Choi Hyuk clearly saw it.
It was only for a split second but a blue blade had formed. Karma that filled up the sword had emerged.
And,
“Urkk…”
A side effect. Exhaustion and injuries from forcefully pushing karma.
Flop.
Choi Hyuk who had lost all strength in his body collapsed. His hair was dripping with sweat. However, the tips of his lips curled upwards.
His guess that he could make a blade made of karma without the assistance of a skill… was right.